This　paper　presents　a　fault　tolerant　control　(FTC)　design　for　the　actuator　faults　in　a　variable　cycle　engine　(VCE).　Ensured　by　the　multiple　variable　geometries　structure　of　VCE,　the　design　is　realized　by　distributing　the　control　effort　among　the　unfaulty　actuators　with　the　＂functional　redundancy＂　idea.　The　FTC　design　consists　of　two　parts:　the　fault　reconstruction　part　and　the　fault　tolerant　control　part,　which　use　a　sliding　mode　observer　(SMO)　and　a　sliding　mode　control　(SMC)　scheme　respectively.　Considering　the　inaccuracy　of　the　fault　reconstruction　result,　the　proposed　design　requires　only　inaccurate　fault　information.　The　stability　of　the　closed-loop　control　system　is　proved　and　the　existence　condition　for　the　proposed　control　law　is　analyzed.　This　work　also　reveals　its　relation　to　the　sliding　mode　control　allocation　design　and　the　adaptive　SMC　design.　An　application　case　is　then　studied　for　tolerating　the　loss　of　effectiveness　fault　of　the　nozzle　area　actuator.　Results　show　that　the　FTC　design　is　able　to　tolerate　the　fault　and　achieves　the　same　control　goal　as　in　the　fault-free　situation.　Finally,　a　hardware-in-the-loop　test　is　carried　out　to　verify　the　design　in　a　real-time　distributed　control　system,　which　demonstrates　its　use　from　the　engineering　perspective.